In a recent blog post we talked about Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, who led the inaugural prayer service in Washington, DC. Trump and Vance were present. They heard the teachings of Jesus ... and they didn't like it one bit. Since then the world of MAGA fake "Christians" have been in meltdown mode. In our blog post mentioned above we stated, "The look on the faces of Trump and Vance says it all. They call themselves 'Christians,' but their reaction to the actual teachings of Jesus says they don't know Jesus. If you know Jesus, you know his teachings. If you don't, you don't." Now some MAGA "Christians" have taken their ignorance of Christ's teachings to a new level. They label empathy as a sin. If you know Christ, you know this nothing short of blasphemy. Our own Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin has some thoughts about this: The Radical Empathy of Jesus In the long arc of Christian theology, we have witnessed many bastardizations of Jesus's message, but few are as spiritually dangerous as the emerging concept of the “sin of empathy.” As I sit here reflecting on this morally corrupt notion, I am reminded of our Jesus' words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Those who would condemn empathy as sinful fundamentally misunderstand both the nature of sin and the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus did not stand apart from human suffering – he wept at Lazarus's tomb, he felt compassion for the hungry crowds, he touched the “untouchable” lepers. Jesus' ministry was, in fact, defined by a radical empathy that drew him into the depths of human experience. To suggest that feeling deeply for others' pain somehow corrupts our moral judgment is to forget the Christian concept of the Divine enter into human struggle and suffering. The cross itself stands as a symbol of Jesus' identification with human pain and resistance to systems of oppression. When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, he highlighted empathy as the vital force that moves us from mere religious observance to true righteousness. The priest and Levite had correct doctrine, but the Samaritan had what mattered most – a heart that could be moved by another's suffering. We must resist this dangerous teaching. The sin is not in feeling too deeply for others, but in hardening our hearts against their cries. As James wrote, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." This is empathy in action, and it stands at the very heart of the gospel. Let us not mistake emotional distance for spiritual maturity. The way of Jesus is the way of deep empathy, solidarity with the oppressed, and liberating love that transforms both oppressed and oppressor. Through divine empathy, we participate in God's ongoing work of liberation and healing. We must resist this dangerous teaching. Jesus practiced radical empathy. Imitating him is far from sinful. It is, in fact, what we are called to do. Go forth and empathize boldly! Comments are closed.
|
![]() About TCL BlogWe’re not about Dogma here. We’re just Christians who think the political and Christian right-wing have their priorities wrong. Featured Bloggers![]() Charles Toy is the founding member of The Christian Left. We're sure you will enjoy his passion as well as his wit. Guest bloggers featured often.
Archives
January 2025
Categories
All
|